If You've Done This in the Past Year, Your Stimulus Check Could Be Delayed
Sarah Rodriguez
Updated on February 22, 2026
The stimulus bill was just approved by the U.S. government this week, which means a third round of stimulus checks will be processed and sent to Americans soon. Of course people are eager to see their money arrive, but as we've seen with the past two stimulus checks, some people seem to get their money faster than others, who are left waiting for weeks on end. Worried you'll be one of the unlucky people in the latter category? If you've done this in the past year, you next stimulus check could be delayed. Read on to find out why you might be kept waiting, and for more reasons your check could be M.I.A., This Is Why You May Not Get the Third Stimulus Check.
If you moved and didn't update your address with the IRS, your stimulus could be delayed.
When there is money on the line, no one wants to be kept waiting. However, your stimulus check could arrive later than other people's if you moved this past year and did not update the IRS with your new address. According to CNET, it is possible that you will receive your stimulus payment via mail either through a paper check or as an Economic Impact Payment (EIP) card. Some people who received the first stimulus payment through direct deposit did report receiving their second payment as a mailed EIP card. If the IRS doesn't know where to send your mail, things could be delayed. And for more on the timeline, The White House Just Said Your Stimulus Check Could Arrive This Soon.
There are several ways you can notify the IRS about an address change.
According to the IRS website, there are several ways you can notify the agency that your address has changed. The fastest way would be to tell the IRS via phone. For this, you'll need to verify your identity and the address currently on file, as well as your date of birth, social security number, and your new address. You can also tell the IRS by making an appointment at a local IRS office near you. If you would rather not speak to someone directly, you can file an IRS Form 8822, update your new address by filing your 2020 tax return, or mail the agency a signed written statement with your full name, old address, new address, and social security number. Unfortunately, even if you do this now, your payment might still be delayed, as the IRS says it "can generally take four to six weeks after receipt for a change of address request to fully process." And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.
The White House said some Americans will start getting payments this weekend.
President Joe Biden signed the third stimulus bill into law on March 11, as The New York Times reported. Through this bill, Americans can expect stimulus payments with a base amount of $1,400 that may increase or decrease depending on a number of factors, including income and dependents. During a March 11 press briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said some payments may arrive this weekend. "People can expect to start seeing direct deposits hit their bank accounts as early as this weekend," she said. That would mean March 13 or 14. And for more on your third payment, This One Thing Will Be Missing From Your Next Stimulus Check.
The IRS has until the end of the year to send the third stimulus check, however.
Of course, not everyone who is eligible for the third stimulus payment will receive their stimulus check this weekend. Psaki noted that this was only "just the first wave" of payments and that "payments to eligible Americans will continue throughout the course of the next several weeks." But there is quite a bit of leeway in terms of a timeline to send the third payments. The third stimulus bill, referred to as the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," gives the IRS and the Treasury Department until Dec. 31, 2021 to send people their third stimulus payment.
Thankfully, as Bankrate explains, the odds of you having to wait that long are low. While it took months to deliver the first stimulus payments, the process only took a few weeks for the second stimulus checks. "We are doing everything in our power to expedite the payments and not delay them," Psaki said about the third stimulus checks during a March 9 White House briefing. And for more on past payments, If You Never Got Your Last Stimulus Check, Experts Say Do This Now.
Kali Coleman Kali Coleman is a Senior Editor at Best Life. Her primary focus is covering news, where she often keeps readers informed on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and up-to-date on the latest retail closures.Read moreFiled UnderFinance • Income • NewsRead This NextYour Stimulus Check Could Arrive This Soon
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